Muslim Beard Ban Ruling - The religious right of Muslims allows them to grow a half inch beard. However, this right was prohibited by the policy in an Arkansas prison. One inmate had to shave his beard as the policy claims he could conceal contraband within the half inch beard.
Gregory Holt, the inmate involved in the Muslim bear band ruling, is under close watch. While he had been imprisoned for domestic battery and burglary, the latest issue revolving Holt is with regards to his beard. In relation to Muslim beliefs, he had wanted to grow one.
Yet, Arkansas officials had ordered Holt to shave the half inch beard in fear that he could conceal contraband within it. The Supreme Court however states that officials from Arkansas corrections had violated the Muslim beard ban ruling.
Apart from concealing contraband, the Muslim beard ban ruling was violated by the Arkansas officials because they feared beards could also conceal items such as SIM cards for phones, razor blades, drugs, and homemade darts.
The hearing by the Supreme Court still stands that the Arkansas corrections officials have violated the Muslim beard ban ruling. Justice Alito claims that the idea of security "would be seriously compromised by allowing an inmate to grow a half-inch beard is hard to take seriously."
"An item of contraband would have to be very small indeed to be concealed by a half-inch beard," wrote Justice Alito in a report by the New York Times, adding, "and a prisoner seeking to hide an item in such a short beard would have to find a way to prevent the item from falling out."
Another magistrate judge had also observed Holt, the inmate in the Muslin beard ban ruling, claiming he found it "preposterous" he could hide a contraband in his beard. As for Justice Ginsburg, the justice accommodated Holt's belief stating it "would not detrimentally affect others who do not share his belief."
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